Loam bbown



(Nb Model.)

L. BROWN, Sr.

ROTARY ENGINE.

Patented Sept. 27, 1887.

UNITED STATES PATENT @rrron.

LOAM BROWN, SR, OF GOOKSTOWN, GEORGIA.

ROTARY ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 370,373, datedSeptember 27, 1887.

Application filed May '25, 1887. Serial No. 239,325. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LOAM BROWN, Sr., of Oookstown, in the county ofWilcox and State of Georgia, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Rotary Engines; and I do hereby declare the following tobe a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as willenable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and usethe same.

My invention relates to an improvement in rotary engines.

The obj ectis to provide an engine which may be run by steam, water, orcompressed air by simply varying the size of the power-inlet port, andin which the sliding abutments shall be prevented from a wabbling motionin the plane of their bearings and from the consequent frictionalcontact with the inner walls of the casing.

A further object is to provide an effective engine in which the numberof parts shall be reduced to a minimum, and which may be furnished at alow initial cost, thereby adapting it to general use wherever power isrequired for the various purposes of the farmer, miller, andmanufacturer.

WVith these ends in view my invention consists in certain features ofconstruction and combinations of parts, as will be hereinafterdescribed, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure ,1 is an end view of the wheel, oneend of the casing being. removed. Fig. 2 is a central section in theplane of the axis of theshaft. Fig. 3 is an inside view of one end ofthe casing; and Fig. 4 is an end view of the inlet-port, showing meansfor regulating the size of the opening.

A represents a cylindrical casi n g, constructed of any suitablematerial,and having one or both its ends bolted to the curved portion inany well-known or approved manner. Each end a is provided with ashoulder, a, preferably formed by rabbeting the inner corner of the end,which is adapted to fit snugly within the end of the curved portion ofthe casing and form a snug joint therewith. The inner face of each endis further provided with a camgroove, B, of the form substantially asshown, about two-thirds of the groove being in circular form, asrepresented at I), while the remaining third, or thereabout, ismaterially flattened, as shown at b. The transition from the circularportion to the flattened portion of the groove is, however, made verygradually,

as shown at b, for purposes which will here.

inafter appear.

A drive-shaft, G,isjournaled in suit-able bean ings,c, at the middlepoints of the two ends a, and a wheel, D, is secured at its center,onthe shaft 0 within the casing. The face d of the wheel D is intended tobe as wide as the length of the interior of the casing A will admit andat the same time permit a free rotary move ment of the wheel. The wheelD also preferably retains its width for a considerable distance backfrom its face toward the center, in order to form a more effective jointbetween its end and the casing-wall, and may retain its width throughoutor not, as may be found desirable. The face of the wheel is intact,excepting at points as are designated for the insertion of theabutments, and the distance between the face of the wheel and theinterior curved wall of the casing forms the live-steam chamber or thewater or air pressure chamber,as the case may be. At suitable intervalsthe periphery of the wheel is provided with radial slots E, in thepresent instance with three. The slots E preferably extend from theperiphery of the wheel about two-thirds'of the distance to the center,but may be deeper or shallower, as found expedient. e of the slots E besmooth and solid,even should the wheel itself be formed hollow orskeleton, in order that an essentially steamtight joint be formedbetween the wall and the abutment.

From the bottom of the slot E and centrally located therein projects aguide lug or tongue, F, which may be cast integral with the wheel, ormay be secured rigidly thereto. The lug or tongue F may project agreater or lesser distance outwardly from the bottom of the slot, as maybe found desirable, the object being to provide a central guide for theabutment, as will hereinafter appear.

G represents one of the sliding abutments having a width equal to thewidth of the steam-chamber, or slightly less, to admit of a free slidingmovement, and a thickness equal to that of the slot E, or sufficientlyless to admit of a free sliding movement therein. At

its end, toward the center, the abutment is forked or provided with acentrally-located It is desirable that the walls recess, 9, adapted toreceive with an easilysliding fit the lug or tongue F, and is furtherprovided at the same end with oppositely-extending lugs or studs which,when the parts are in working adjustment, fit the cam-grooves B, theends of the studs 9 being heldby the central guide, F, a slight distanceawayfrom the bottoms of the grooves. Thus as the wheel revolves withinthe casing the grooves B will serve to slide the abutments outwardly,hold them in that position while receiving the pressure from the power,and then return them to pass the stationary abutment H'secured to thecasing; but the sliding abutments- G will be guided in their slidingmovement by the central tongue or lug, F, and will be prevented from theendwisc tilt or wabbling movement so objectionable where the groovesalone are depended upon; and, furthermore, by preventing the ends of thestuds 9 from engaging the bottoms of the grooves B and holding thesliding abutment steadily in the center of the steam-chamber the edgesof the abutment are prevented from frictional contact with the interiorwalls of the chamber, and such wear as takes place on the walls of thegrooves B and on the studs is regular and does not affect the efficiencyof the engine until well worn out.

The stationary abutment H, above referred to, is secured firmly to theinterior-curved wallof the casing, and serves to cut off theback-pressure of the steam or other power as it enters the port K.Tapered guides h extend from the inner face of the stationary abutmentH, in opposite directions therefrom, along the ends of the curved wallof the easing a distance corresponding to the flattened portion of 'thegroove B, and serve to insure the return of the sliding abutment to aposition flush with the face of the wheel as said abutment passes thestationary abutment H.

The steam-inlet port K is located in close proximity to the side of thestationary abutment H, and the exhaust-port L is at such a distancetherefrom as to insure the best results, keeping the live'pressure onthe sliding abutment as long as it can be of service, but not longenough to become a drag. Its location is determined by experiment, andshould in general be about two-thirds of the circumference distancetherefrom, measuring in the direction in which the wheel rotates.

As it is intended to furnish a rotary engine which may be kept in stockand shipped upon demand to be set up wherever steam, water, orcompressed air can be utilized to advantage, it is found desirable toconstruct the port H in such a manner that it may be readily enlargedor'constructed to suit the different powers. Forexample, when water isemployed,

. the port should be considerably larger than when steam is used. Tothis end the port is provided with an internal thread, m, and a set ofhollow plugs having one end fitted to the port and the other ends andtheir bores of different sizes to suit the power. This is one of want,because of its moderate cost and general adaptability.

It is evident that the tongues F might consist of two or more parts atequal distance from the center, and that other slight changes might bemade in the form and arrangementsv of the several parts withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of my invention; hence I do not wishto limit myself strictly to the construction herein set forth; but,

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a rotary engine, the combination,with the casing provided withinlet and exhaust ports, and with a stationary abutment, and havingcam-grooves formed in its ends, of the wheel journaled inthe casing andprovided with radial slots in its rim, and with lugs or tonguesextending outwardly from the bottoms of the slots, and sliding abutmentslocated in the slots and provided with lugs or studs adapted to engagethesaid grooves, and with recesses adapted to receive the lugs ortongues in the slots, for the purpose substantially as set forth. a

2. In a rotary engine, the combination,with a wheel journaled in asuitable casing and provided with radial slots opening on its face,

i the said slots having centrally-located lugs or tongues projectingoutwardly from their bottoms, of sliding abutments located in the slotsand having centrally-located recesses adapted to receive with an easysliding fit the said lugs or tongues, and,further, having lugs or studsadapted to engage the side walls only of camgrooves in the ends of thecasing,substantially as set forth.

3. In a rotary engine,the combination,with a suitable casing providedwith cam-grooves on its interior walls, a wheel journaled in the casingand provided with radial slots opening on its surface, and withcentrally-located lugs or tongues extending outwardly from the bot- LOAMBROWN, ss.

Witnesses:

E. 0. SMITH, O. 0. SMITH.

